In the article Darrell Etherington quotes Rod Humble, Linden Lab CEO, talking about Dio: “It’s sort of like Second Life without the graphics, or Facebook but trying to be more of a creative space. … So it’s a web experience and you create your space, but within the spaces, everyone has their own avatar and avatars carry inventory. The way you navigate from space to space is via doors, and you can make things like a MUSH [multi-user shared hack] or hobby space very easily.”

Versu is another future Linden product where the idea is to tap into collaborative storytelling, something that’s been gaining in popularity in online spheres. In Versu, the Lab adds a gaming element to interactive storytelling. The player defines motives and traits of characters they create, which then write their story as the game is played. Darrell says, “It seems like a smart way to capitalize on the observer tendency that’s turned Second Life players into story watchers.” I’m not sure that SL users are story observers. I think the core players are more in to creative activities. But, Darrell may have it right on how the Lab’s management sees SL users.

Of all the four new releases from the Lab, I think Versu sounds the most interesting. Dio sounds like a web app that will be an HTTP5 based game, which means it should run on smart phones, iPads, and tablets.

I spend time playing Patterns, one of the four new games that is now on Steam. It recently updated. The user interface changed. That took a bit to get used to. I still am not happy with camera control. But, I do spend more time playing with it that I plan.